Bidding issues should be settled

CEBU, Philippines - Mactan Cebu International Airport General Manager Nigel Paul Villarete vowed to cooperate in the congressional inquiry into the multi-billion airport project bidding.

Villarete said he has no preference as to the venue of the inquiry since it is the prerogative of Congress.

“We will just cooperate if we are called upon…That is something that is within their sole prerogative,” he said.

 The Senate is also set to conduct the inquiry into the issue on March 11 while the House Committee on Transportations will have its probe the following day in Manila.

The inquiry was earlier perceived to cause further delay in the implementation of the airport expansion project.

“Di ika-exchange ang delay for the project which will last for 25 years,” Villarete said.

He pointed out that anything that is not clear should be clarified first before the project is awarded to any bidder.

“We must be careful that everything is alright and everything is ironed out,” he said.

He assured that the Pre-Qualification Bids and Awards Committee of the Department of Transportation and Communications is doing its best to resolve the issue.

Villarete added that the MCIAA Board is still hoping that the PBAC can resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Those invited to the hearing are DOTC Secretary and MCIAA Chairman of the Board Joseph Emilio Abaya; Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla, PBAC head for the MCIA project; Villarete; and Public Private Partnership of the Philippines Executive Director Cosette Canilao.

Last month, majority of Cebuano legislators submitted a resolution calling for the House Committee on Transportation to conduct an inquiry into the allegation of conflict of interest against the highest bidder.

Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar had said they will focus first on the inquiry before the highest bidder, GMR-Megawide Consortium, will face the committee.

The second highest bidder, the Filinvest-Changi Airport International (CAI) Consortium, raised the issue of conflict of interest based on the prohibition of the rules of the PBAC against GMR-Megawide Consortium.

Del Mar said they requested to conduct the second inquiry in Cebu. But the date is yet to be set.  (FREEMAN)